Weatherproof masonry joint



Fb. 15 1389 F. P. WHITE WEATHERPROOF MASONRY JOINT Filed Oct. 19, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet Feb, 15,, 193. F. P. WHH'E WEATHERPROOF MASONRY JOINT 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Oct. 19, 1956 mei- Ill/J01] Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE 8 Claims.

My invention relates to mortar joints in masonry walls of buildings and other structures and has, for its general purpose, the prevention of entrance of water or other foreign matter into the said joints as a result of alternate expansion and contraction or contortion of the wall as caused by atmospheric temperature and moisture changes or wind. It has been found that the contraction of the wall during cold weather breaks the adhesive bond between the mortar joint and the masonry unit, and may also cause the breaking of the adhesive bond between the particles of the mortar itself with the result that actual cracks form between the mortar joints and the masonry unit or within the body of the mortar itself, thus allowing water and other foreign matter to penetrate into these cracks. In hot weather the expansion of the wall causes an extra pressure on both injured and sound mortar joints. The presence of water in cracks in the mortar joint during freezing weather causes further cracking of the mortar joint and the chipping off of its edges because of the expanding of the water into ice. My invention as hereinafter disclosed is applicable to all kinds of masonry structures built of granite, stone, terra cotta, moulded concrete, tile or brick, etc. It may be applied in retaining stone walls, bridge pillars, and arches, etc. and is especially of value in tall building walls, either constructed entirely of masonry work, or monolithic concrete, or serving as exterior face walls for steel structures.

My invention consists generally in the construction of auxiliary open cavities extending from the regular mortar joints to the exterior or weather face of the wall, and the compression into these cavities of springy or resilient fillers, impervious to moisture and formed so as to close against any access of water, snow or other foreign materials, to the mortar joints because of the atmospheric conditions existing on the exterior face of the wall.

My invention, more specifically, consists in the construction and combination hereinafter disclosed in the specification and particularly pointed out in the claims with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a masonry wall embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of the Wall on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the horizontal joint protecting filler.

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the same.

Fig. '7 is a longitudinal section of the vertical joint protecting filler.

Fig. 8 is a cross section of the same.

'Fig. 9 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the vertical joint-protecting filler.

In the drawings 2 represents the masonry units of the wall which may be of any preferred material such as cut or cast stone of any kind, granite, marble, terra cotta, brick, etc. The units 2 are placed in the staggered position usual in masonry work, separated by the horizontal mortar joints 4 and vertical mortar joints 6. The completed walls may be masonry work exclusively, or face walls for steel constructed buildings or other structures. The mortar in the lateral joints 4 is spread to terminate a predetermined space from the outer or weather face of the wall, leaving narrow longitudinal auxiliary joint cavities 8 open to the atmosphere as shown at Y in Fig. 4. Similar auxiliary vertical cavities It), the height of which is equal to the thickness of the masonry units, extends from the mortar in the vertical joints 6 to the exterior face of the wall and atmosphere. The regular mortar in the joints is supplemented by a strip of pointing mortar l2 facing the open auxiliary cavities 8 and Ill.

Into the horizontal joint cavities 8 are forced, under pressure, resilient metallic, pressure yielding joint fillers [4, making watertight connection with the pointing mortar l2 and preferably having the form of the irregular, hollow or tubular rectangle shown in Fig. 6. One end, l3, of the joint filler M is slightly contracted and the opposite end, l5, is expanded for reception of the contracted end, thus forming telescoped waterproof connections between adjoining fillers. The vertical joint fillers it, are provided in both ends with insert of non-exuded impervious filler, l8, to make watertight joints with the upper and lower adjoining horizontal joint fillers, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and '7. The front exposed surface of the joint fillers, I5, is formed in a concave lBa, the inner, lower end of which adjoins the outwardly inclined front face Uta of the horizontal fillers M, by which construction water from both types of joint fillers is directed over the exterior of the wall. The auxiliary joint fillers l4 and I6 are constructed of suitable, resilient, or springy sheet metal material impervious to moisture and are capable of automatically and instantly expanding and contracting in response to space variations of the cavities 8 and Ill, due to expansion or contraction of the wall. The extent of their resiliency or capacity of expansion and compression is preferably adapted for commercial purposes so that a single pattern or standard size may be used for the usual variations in thickness of mortar joints. The resilient impervious material of which the joints fillers are made and, to some extent the form, may vary according to local and climatic conditions and the height and width of the masonry wall. The fillers may be fabricated of steel, brass, copper or any sheet metal or other material capable of being formed into resilient pressure yielding impervious tubes. To further assure complete waterproofing of the mortar joints, under certain conditions, the joint fillers are provided with an outside coating of an adhesive waterproof nature made of asphalt, rubber, or other similar compound which seals the joints between the fillers and wall units at their contacting points.

It will be seen that by my invention the seepage of water or rain or snow and the entrance of all foreign matter from the atmosphere at the exposed side of the wall into the mortar joints due to occurring contortions of the wall from causes of natural expansion and contraction, is effectually prevented and the masonry structure is made permanently waterproof. The exterior of the wall is protected, not only from the cracking due to the entrance of foreign matter, of water and the formation of ice in the mortar joints, but also from the bulging of the wall which is especially notable in high buildings, and is due to unequal expansion of the outer and inner portion of the wall during sudden and violent temperature and humidity changes. This' condition is emphasized in buildings where the masonry wall serves only as a facing or veneer tied to inner masonry or other structure and the outer and inner portions of the complete wall thus have a greater difference of coefiicient of expansion and contraction.

Having now fullydescribed my invention what I claim as my invention is:

1. A masonry structure comprising a plurality of masonry units, laid in substantially, horizontal courses connected by horizontal and vertical joints of binding material; the weather facing masonry units forming extended cavities from the binding material outwards to the weather exposed face of the structure, the said cavities being filled by joint sealing members constructed of impenetrable springy material in a tubular form compressed between the extended masonry units to flex in response to the expansion and contraction of the structure.

2. A masonry structure comprising a plurality of masonry units laid in substantially horizontal courses connected by horizontal and vertical joints of binding material, the weather exposed masonry units forming extended cavities from the binding material outwards to the exterior of the structure, the said cavities being filled by tubular joint sealing members constructed of impenetrable, springy material coated with an impervious mastic material and formed to flex from pressure of the masonry units to maintain a constant impenetrable exterior seal of the said cavities during expansion and contraction of the structure.

3. A masonry structure comprising a plurality of masonry units laid in substantially horizontal courses connected by horizontal and vertical joints of binding material, the weather exposed masonry units forming extended cavities from the binding material outwards to the exterior of the structure, the said cavities being fllled by joint sealing members constructed of impenetrable, springy tubular material interposed under pressure in said cavities and having impenetrable flexing connections between the horizontal and vertical sealing members and between the said members and the extended masonry units whereby a constant impenetrable exterior seal of said cavities is maintained to prevent entrance to the binding material of extraneous matter during expansion and contraction of the structure.

.4. A building article for sealing the mortar joints between the masonry units of masonry structures from contact with extraneous matter, comprising a tubular horizontal sealing member of impenetrable, flexible metallic material having flattened top and bottom sides integrally connected with oblique flexible opposite sides.

5. A building article for sealing the mortar joints between the masonry units of masonry structures comprising a tubular horizontal sealing member of impenetrable flexible metallic material having flattened top and bottom sides integrally connected with oblique flexible opposite sides and a tubular vertical sealing member flattened on opposite sides and abutting the flattened sides of the horizontal sealing member with ends of interposed mastic material.

6. In a masonry structure a device for sealing the horizontal and vertical joints of binding material from contact with extraneous matter, consisting of horizontal and vertical sealing members made of impenetrable springy sheet material in tubular form interposed under pressure in extensions of said joints and having impenetrable flexing connections between the horizontal and verticalsealing members and between the said members and the extended masonry units whereby a constant impenetrable exposed surface under all conditions of weather and temperature of the structure is maintained.

7. In a masonry wall structure the combination with substantially horizontal layers of masonry units having substantially horizontal and vertical mortar joints between said units and substantially horizontal and vertical cavities extending outwards between the masonry units from the mortar joints to the weather exposed face of the structure, of horizontally continuous tubular joint sealing members interposed in the horizontal cavities and formed to have pressure yielding joints with the masonry units, tubular sealing members interposed in the vertical cavities the said members having flexible joints with the said units and with the horizontal sealing members and an insoluble impervious mastic substance interposed between the horizontal and vertical sealing members and between the said sealing members and the mortar joints.

8. Ina masonry wall structure the combination with substantially horizontal layers of masonry units having substantially horizontal and vertical mortar joints between said units and substantially horizontal and vertical cavities extending outwards between the masonry units from the mortar joints to the Weather exposed face of the structure; of joint sealing members coated with impervious mastic materials interposed in said cavities, all of said sealing members being constructed of impenetrable, insoluble and resilient material formed to flex in response to expansion and contraction of the masonry units to maintain a constantly sealed impenetrable weather exposed face of the structure.

FRANK P. WHITE. 

